How to choose an AV integrator: a buyer's checklist

Most AV projects that go wrong don't fail on equipment. They fail on the people: a firm that sells the gear but subcontracts the programming, a crew that has never commissioned a Dante network, a service promise nobody staffs. This checklist is what experienced owners, facilities teams and consultants look at before they award a job.

1. Can they legally do the work where you are?

Low-voltage and AV work is licensed in many states and cities, and the rules vary. In Minnesota, for example, technology circuits that carry audio signals must be installed by employees of a licensed Technology Systems Contractor or electrical contractor, and each contractor must name a responsible Power Limited Technician. Other states license low-voltage work under the electrical board, a separate low-voltage license, or not at all.

Ask for the license number and look it up on the state board's site yourself. Check that the license is held by the entity on your contract, not a sister company. Our guide to licenses versus certifications explains the difference.

2. Insurance that matches your contract

Get a certificate of insurance (ACORD 25) and read it against your contract's requirements: general liability limits, auto, workers' compensation, umbrella, and whether you need to be named as additional insured. A certificate is a snapshot, so confirm the policy dates cover the whole project. See what a COI proves, and what it doesn't.

3. Certified people on your job, not just on the website

Company logos on a website tell you about a dealer agreement, not about who will program your rooms. Ask which named people will design, program and commission your systems, and what each one holds:

Our guide to AV certifications covers what each one requires.

4. Manufacturer standing for the platforms you're buying

If your standard is Crestron, Q-SYS, Extron, Biamp or Microsoft Teams Rooms, ask whether the integrator is an authorized dealer or partner for that platform and at what tier. Authorization matters for pricing, warranty support and access to factory engineering when something unusual breaks.

5. Who owns the code and the passwords?

Control and DSP programs are part of what you're paying for. Put it in the contract that you receive the uncompiled source files, the compiled files, a list of every account and password, and the right to have another firm maintain the system. Without that, you may be locked to one service provider for the life of the system. See hiring an AV programmer for the questions to ask.

6. How they verify and hand over the system

Ask how they test before handover. A good answer references a written test plan, often based on the AVIXA performance verification standard, with results you keep. Ask what the handover package includes: as-built drawings, rack elevations, cable schedules, configuration backups, warranty records and training. Our commissioning and handover checklist lists what to expect.

7. Service after the install

Ask what happens when a room fails at 8:55 on a Monday. Get the service levels in writing: response times, remote monitoring, preventive maintenance visits, loaner equipment and what the first year of warranty labor actually covers.

8. References you can call

Ask for three references from projects like yours in size, room type and platform, completed in the last two years. Call them. Ask whether the project finished on time, what went wrong, and whether they would hire the firm again.

How AVCleared helps

Every AVCleared profile shows license and insurance status checked against the source, the platforms a firm sells, installs, programs or services, certifications tied to named people, and reviews from companies with a confirmed engagement. Search verified integrators or browse by city.

Sources

• Minnesota DLI: Technology Systems Contractor license bulletin
• AVIXA: Audiovisual Systems Performance Verification standard
• AVIXA: CTS certification
• Microsoft: Teams Rooms certified systems and peripherals